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SuitSat in Orbit

Friday, February 3rd, 2006 - (Spaceweather.com) At 6:02 pm EST on Friday, Feb. 3rd, astronauts threw an old spacesuit overboard from the International Space Station. The disembodied suit, nicknamed SuitSat, is now orbiting Earth and transmitting a message which anyone can hear using a police scanner or ham radio tuned to 145.990 MHz.

Bigger Than Pluto? Then It's a Planet!

Friday, February 3rd, 2006 - The trans-Neptunian body, UB313, discovered a little more that a year ago was thought to be larger than Pluto based on its observed brightness. But because high brightness alone isn't a good measure of size, Frank Bertoldi and his colleagues of the University of Bonn in Germany used the IRAM 30-meter telescope in the Sierra Nevada mountains of southern Spain to observe UB313 in the infrared range. Based on observations made over nine nights in August 2005, UB313 appears to have a diameter of between 3,094 and 2,859 kilometers. Even the smallest size in that range would make the object's diameter more than 500 kilometers larger than Pluto's. Their research appeared recently in the journal Nature. So, the bottom line: either UB313 is a planet, or Pluto isn't.

Water Ice Found on Comet's Exterior

Friday, February 3rd, 2006 - Scientists, studying data from NASA's Deep Impact mission have found the first evidence that water ice can exist on a comet's exterior. In a report in an online edition of the journal Science, researchers found that the surface of Comet Tempel 1 has three small pockets of water ice. The same team previously reported that Tempel 1's interior also contained an abundance of organic material and suggested the comet may have originated in a region of the solar system now occupied by Uranus and Neptune. Several theories of how life originated on Earth involve comets containing critical components actually colliding with Earth. Checkout Space.com for all the details.

10th Planet Downsized?

Wednesday, February 1st, 2006 - Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have downsized our solar systems 10th planet. Based on the most recent images available, it has been determined that the still as yet unnamed planet is only marginally larger than the planet Pluto... not the 25% to 50% originally estimated. Astronomers had originally expected the surface of the object to be darker than it appears to be. To send back the amount of light that was being captured, a darker surface would have required the object to be considerably bigger. It turns out that for some unknown reason, this object has a 92% surface reflectivity... much higher than Pluto's 60%. "Geysers may continually coat the surface with fresh frost", speculated planetary scientist Michael Brown of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, although how that occurs on such a frigid body is unknown. The new data makes this object the near twin of Pluto... not its big brother. Find out more

Star Dust Returns

Monday, January 30th, 2006 - Here's a nice shot of the Star Dust capsule taken during its recent re-entry. If you've got a moment, click here to view a nice video that was taken by NASA scientists aboard a DC-8 airborne laboratory. Scientists hope to learn about the formative years of our solar system as they study the cometary particles captured by Star Dust.

Smallest Extra-Solar Planet

Friday, January 27th, 2006 - Astronomers recently announced the discovery of the smallest extra-solar planet yet. With a mass just 5 times that of Earth, the discovery is miles away from the Jupiter sized planets that have been the mainstay of extra-solar discoveries. Don't make any vacation plans yet though.... The new planet has a huge orbit around a faint star leading astronomers to conclude that surface temperatures would be somewhere near -364F. Checkout the Hubble Site for more details.

Saturn Approaches Opposition

Thursday, January 26th, 2006 - The ringed planet Saturn reaches opposition tomorrow night. Opposition simply means that Saturn is opposite the Sun in the sky. So... as the Sun is setting in the west, the planet Saturn is rising in the east. Saturn and its beautiful rings are an easy target for even the most modest of telescopes. Best view of Saturn can be had after its had a few hours to climb above the horizon. Be sure to put your telescope outside a while before you are ready to observe. This is because warm telescopes used in cold weather don't perform well. They need time to come to equilibrium. Be sure to look for Saturn the next time you find yourself under clear skies. As an added bonus, Saturn is passing right next to M44, The Behive Cluster in the constellation Cancer. This sweet shot was taken by Alan Friedman of Buffalo, NY

NASA's Day of Remembrance

Thursday, January 26th, 2006 - (NASA) The following is a statement by NASA Administrator Michael Griffin on NASA's Day of Remembrance. The Day or Remembrance honors those who gave their lives for the cause of exploration and discovery. This includes NASA employees, the astronauts who died in Apollo 1 and on the Space Shuttles Challenger and Columbia. "Today we pause to remember the loss of all of our employees, including our Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia astronauts, and to honor their legacy. Nearly 50 years into the space age, spaceflight remains the pinnacle of human challenge, an endeavor just barely possible with today's technology. We at NASA are privileged to be in the business of learning how to do it, to extend the frontier of the possible, and, ultimately, to make space travel routine. It is an enormously difficult enterprise. The losses we commemorate today are a strong and poignant reminder of the sternness of the challenge." For more information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit http://www.nasa.gov/home.

90-day Mars Rover Missions Now Into 3rd Year

Wednesday, January 25th, 2006 - (NASA) NASA's Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, have been working overtime to help scientists better understand ancient environmental conditions on the red planet. The rovers are also generating excitement about the exploration of Mars outlined in NASA's Vision for Space Exploration. The rovers continue to find new variations of bedrock in areas they are exploring on opposite sides of Mars. The geological information they have collected adds evidence about ancient Martian environments that included periods of wet, possibly habitable conditions. "The extended journeys taken by the two rovers across the surface of Mars has allowed the science community to continue to uncover discoveries that will enable new investigations of the red planet far into the future." said Mary Cleave, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters. See the NASA press release for more information, and SpaceflightNow's article for the transcript of NASA Administrator Mike Griffin's taped address to the rover team.

Crescent Moon In Scorpius

Wednesday, January 25th, 2006 - A smallish 19% illuminated crescent Moon was found among the stars of the constellation Scorpius this morning. A bit of Earthshine was clearly evident. Earthshine is sunlight reflecting off of the Earth onto the non sun lit portion of the moon. Look for the Moon to pose alongside the planet Venus tomorrow morning when it moves into the constellation Sagittarius. Early risers can jump ahead a couple of seasons and view some of the wonders of the summer sky.

Saturn's Icy Moon Epimetheus

Tuesday, January 24th, 2006 - Saturn's icy moon Epimetheus sits just below the rings in this sweet shot taken by the orbiting Cassini Spacecraft. The planet Saturn is currently rising around 5:30pm and can be found high in the eastern sky shortly after dark among the stars of the constellation Cancer. Even the most modest of telescopes will reveal its beautiful rings... though you'll need something considerably more substantial to see Saturn's moon Epimetheus.

The Moon and Jupiter in Conjunction

Monday, January 23rd, 2006 - The Moon spent the night crossing the sky with the giant planet Jupiter. Events like this are known as conjunctions... and occur to varying degrees every month. No special equipment is required to view these events... though a telescope will allow you to take a closer look at the participants separately.

X-Ray Vision

Friday, January 20th, 2006 - Under the direction of NASA and MIT, NASA's Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer gathered a decade's worth of data on x-ray emissions from the Milky Way. In a fascinating time lapse movie, we are able to see the brightest x-ray sources in our galaxy! The blinking lights indicate changing x-ray emission intensities, thought to be caused by variations in the amount of matter being crushed into the intense gravity from neutron stars and black holes. Check out space.com's article for more details. This incredible image sequence was taken by Cyril Cavadore

Swaner Nature Preserve/Utah Skies Snowshoeing and Star Gazing

Friday, January 20th, 2006 - Park City based non-profit Swaner Nature Preserve and Utah Skies will co-present an evening of snowshoeing and star gazing this Friday, January 20th. "Last year's trips were a lot of fun for everyone that participated, and extremely well received," said Utah Skies co-founder Don Brown. Friday night's event will include a nice mix of snowshoeing into the Preserve, informative presentations on the Preserve's nocturnal wildlife, some excellent star- and moon-gazing (Utah Skies will provide the telescopes), discussions of the wonder and importance of the night sky and light pollution reduction, moon and constellation lore, and more. This is a great activity for the entire family, and interested community members and visitors are encouraged to participate.

Check for updates on KPCW and in the Park Record, and log onto either www.swanernaturepreserve.org or www.utahskies.org.

There is no charge to participate, and snowshoes will be provided to the first 60 people that need them. Snacks and hot drinks will be served around a fire. You are encouraged to bring your own snowshoes, as well as binoculars. For more information, call Swaner Nature Preserve at 649-1767.

Because of its proximity to the Sun, Mercury is never really viewed against a dark background. Rather, it always struggles to be seen over the light of the setting or rising Sun. Patience (and clear skies) will reward you with some beautiful evening views of this planet.

In the accompanying image, Mercury is seen following the sun toward the western horizon of southern Utah with a slender crescent moon close behind.

Still in the morning sky near sunrise, Venus marks a beginning of the "early-bird's" day. Having attained its greatest western elongation earlier in the year, Venus is continuing its inexorable journey appearing to fall into the sun towards its superior conjunction at the end of October.

If you have a telescope handy, take a peek at the love goddess' name sake; the crescent of Venus is lovely indeed. Venus was beautiful along side the Pleiades on the June 23rd , and look forward to the first of July when Venus rises with Aldebaran, the 14th of July when Venus and the Crab Nebula dance together, and the 26th and 27th of August when Venus and Saturn rise together less than a degree apart!

The ESA's Venus Express spacecraft is now in its mission phase. The ESA reports "On 3 June at 13:42 UT, after 207 days of flight, 43 orbits around Venus and many test activities, Venus Express has formally completed its commissioning phase and has entered the routine science phase...The nominal mission is scheduled to last till the end of October 2007." Venus Express will study the planet in great detail, in particular the Venusian atmosphere and clouds.

Need to know more about Venus? Checkout this article by The Planetary Society.

While we train our optics skyward nightly, there are visual treasures and marvels to behold earthward. Pictured here is a collection of richly colored rock in the Uinta Mountains, a massive range in Northern Utah carved by glaciers from an immense uplift of Precambrian rock. Some of this rock is exposed as colorful quartzite and shales. The main crest of the Uinta Mountains runs west to east for more than 60 miles, rising over 6,000 feet above the Wyoming and Uinta Basins to the north and south. The highest point in Utah is Kings Peak at 13,528 feet.

The Moon will be new on the 25th, and begin waxing crescent until first quarter on July 3rd, when it will wax gibbous approaching full on July 11th. Those observers that consider the moon "light pollution" look forward to this time of the synodic cycle as the moon travels with the sun, keeping the night sky dark,  favoring views of distant, elusive, and faint fuzzies - galaxies, nebulae, and clusters.

Remember, as the moon waxes and wanes, you can look forward to those phases where Moon observations are most fascinating. Features appear - mountains, craters, rilles - as the sunlight casts long, defining shadows. Look along the portion of the Moon separating light from dark, known as the terminator, for the greatest contrasts.

The Red Planet is found high in the western sky at sunset as it moves to it's superior conjunction opposite the Sun later in the year.  Look at this sweet shot taken by Utah Skies member Brian Jolley last year when Mars was at its closest. He took this through the historic Clark refractor at Lowell Observatory.

Even without a telescope the view of and around Mars is interesting. Having moved through the constellation Gemini, Mars is approaching a conjunction with Saturn around June 17th. On its way, it will pass through M44!

This image is an example of what Jupiter has to offer viewers: interesting detail in the equatorial bands and, if conditions are right, swirls and festoons. Much beautiful structure can be seen through a typical telescope, but results vary depending on telescope aperture and sky conditions. Too, the Great Red Spot has some company: another storm has grow in proportion near the GRS, and has come to be known as Spot Jr!

If you have binoculars, point these towards Jupiter. While you won't be able to see any details on the planets surface, binoculars will clearly show you several of Jupiter's brightest moons, and regular observations will show them jockey for position as they orbit the giant planet. The movement is quite apparent, sometimes even in the span of a few hours.

This sweet shot of Jupiter nicely shows its great red spot and some of the incredible details just waiting your observation. Additionally, you can see one of Jupiter's moons eclipsing the giant planet. The round "ink spot" on the planet's surface is the shadow cast by its moon. Watching Jupiter's moons as they orbit and occasionally transit the giant planet is a very interesting part of observing Jupiter.

Look for Saturn alongside Utah's namesake Deep Sky Object, M44 - The Beehive Star Cluster.

Uranus is currently rising in the early morning, about an hour after Neptune.. The Earth and Uranus have ostensibly achieved their greatest separation, and will soon begin to draw nearer again.

The planet Neptune, is currently rising several hours before the sun, leaving you precious little time to view the 8th rock. To speed up your acquisition of the planet, look just east of south before first light. Find Deneb Ageldi; Neptune is just about 4.5° west and north of "the water goat's tail". At just a touch brighter than mag 8, Neptune should be visible as a faint star-like object in binoculars or as a bluish object in a telescope. Once you've found it, higher powers will clearly reveal the disk of the planet .

This beautiful image of Neptune and its moon, Triton, was taken by the Voyager 2 spacecraft from a perspective that will never be had from Earth. Interesting to note is the gray hue of the planet in this image. The atmosphere of the planet preferentially scatters the light forward from this vantage and so removes the bluish tinge, and reddens the color.

This image of Pluto and its moon Charon was taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, showing the improved performance of a space-based observational platform over ground-based telescopes.

Constellation Report

This weekend we move on to the constellation Canis Major the Big Dog. Canis Major is one of Orion's two faithful dogs. See how he follows him across the sky... Good Doggie :) 

Deep Sky Report

Canis Major can be found in the southeast shortly after dark in late January. You'll immediately spot it's brightest star, Sirius.

Sirius, often called the Dog Star, is the brightest star in the night sky. Only Venus, Jupiter and the moon outshine it. At mag -1.5, Serious completely blows away any other stars. In fact, Sirius is over 20 times brighter than the our Sun! Sirius is also our 5th closest neighbor at only 8.7 light year. This proximity certainly explains the intense brightness. If you catch it rising in the southeast sky, you'll often notice it sparkling wildly. When this happens, you can typically see it changing colors dramatically. First, white, then red, then green... Sirius is also a double star. However, given the difference in brightness between it and it's companion, you'll have a tough time splitting the two.

First up is the only Messier on the list, Open Star Cluster M41(mag4.6)  

M41 can be found easily, as it is located about 4 degrees south of Sirius. It is home to about 100 stars, including several red giants. The brightest star in the cluster is about 700 times more luminous than our Sun. The cluster spans about 25 light years across, is at a distance of 2,300 light years. and is estimated to be about 200 million years old.

M41 is a fairly large, loose cluster. In the eyepiece, it is a beautiful object which spans about 1/2°. Given its size (about that of a full moon), you'll want to enjoy this beauty with a nice low power, wide field eyepiece. I popped in the 31mm Nagler especially for this one. Click on the image to view it full-size. You'll notice some nice double stars within the cluster. These should be fairly easy to split in a small telescope. This is also a nice binocular object, so.. dust off those binos and put them to use!

The accompanying image was taken on 12/19/03by Anthony Arrigo of Utah Skies. It was taken with a Sony DSC-F717 digital camera and is a 30 second exposure through a 150mm Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope.

Next up is a beautiful Open Star Cluster NGC2362(mag4.1)   You'll instantly notice that this object is a much tighter cluster than M41. And, considering that it's also a bit brighter, it's interesting that Messier did not record it as well. This cluster contains about about 50 stars surrounding mag4 Tau Canis Majoris. This is a very beautiful and very interesting cluster. The majority of cluster members look as if they're playing some sort of supporting role for the brighter star which is several magnitudes brighter than any of the others.

In binoculars, the cluster resembles a soft haze, while a 6" resolves about 25 of the member stars. In a large telescope, this object is quite impressive

Next up is another fine Open Star Cluster, NGC2360(mag7.2)  This object, which has about as many members as NGC2362, will actually show more stars in smaller instruments. A 6-8" telescope will reveal almost twice as many stars as NGC2360. It's not until you move up to larger telescopes that you begin to pull some of the fainter members of NGC2362 into view. 

In the eyepiece, NGC2362 is simply beautiful. It's delicate internal structures will entice you. Another thing to note is the fact that there is no really distinct ending to this cluster. It simply blends into the surrounding Milky Way.

Next up is yet another fine Open Star Cluster, NGC2343(mag7.2)  This object, which has about as many members as NGC2362, will actually show more stars in smaller instruments. A 6-8" telescope will reveal almost twice as many stars as NGC2360. It's not until you move up to larger telescopes that you begin to pull some of the fainter members of NGC2362 into view. 

In the eyepiece, NGC2362 is simply beautiful. It's delicate internal structures will entice you. Another thing to note is the fact that there is no really distinct ending to this cluster. It simply blends into the surrounding Milky Way.

Let's wrap things up with this weeks Utah Skies Challenge Object, another fine Spiral Galaxy, NGC2207(mag10.6)  This odd looking galaxy is actually a pair of interacting galaxies. The other galaxy is Irregular Galaxy IC2103.

Good Luck!